Dallas Cowboys free agent tracker: Who will they re-sign for 2018?

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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) celebrates a sack during the second quarter of a Christmas Eve NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, December 24, 2017 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)

The Cowboys avoided yet another 8-8 season under head coach Jason Garrett. But their 9-7 record wasn't enough to crack the 2017 playoffs, so it's time to look to next season.

How will the Cowboys' returning core look for 2018? Here's a breakdown of which players on the roster are headed to free agency this offseason:

Unrestricted FAs

WR Brice Butler

Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brice Butler sets the ball down after scoring on a touchdown recepting during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Philadelphia. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)

How he came to Cowboys: The Raiders traded Butler to the Cowboys in September 2015 for a sixth-round pick. The Cowboys re-signed Butler in 2017 to a 1-year, $1.1 million contract.

2017 stats: 15 catches on 23 targets for 317 yards (21.1 avg), 3 TDs

Position-group outlook: Butler's 21.1 yards-per-catch average is best among team receivers. But Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley all started ahead of him this year. Rookies Noah Brown and Ryan Switzer both show promise, Switzer even catching four balls for 32 yards and four first downs in the team's season finale. Butler missed three games in December with a foot injury before returning against Philadelphia to catch a touchdown. He is the only receiver in the group hitting free agency this offseason.

The last 3 Years here have been great #CowboysNation, learned a lot and had a lot of fun!!! Glad I ended the season better this year than I did last year...

RB Alfred Morris

Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

Dallas Cowboys running back Alfred Morris (46) runs for yardage in the first quarter during the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Oakland Raiders NFL football game at the Oakland-Alameda County Stadium in Oakland, California on Sunday, December 17, 2017. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News)

How he came to Cowboys: The Cowboys signed free-agent Morris in March 2016 after four years with the Redskins. Morris rushed for more than 1,000 yards in three of his Washington seasons.

Position-group outlook: Morris started for the Cowboys during Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension, aided by Rod Smith who scored five touchdowns in four games. But Morris rushed for just 2 yards on three carries after Elliott returned. Did Morris prove he's starter quality during the suspension stretch? SportsDay Cowboys insider Brandon George wrote about that. When free agency begins, other teams will have the chance to weigh in. And the Cowboys will keep hyping up the potential of Smith, who's under contract for another season.

LG Jonathan Cooper

Ashley Landis/Staff Photographer

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates a touchdown with offensive guard Jonathan Cooper (64) during the second quarter of an NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)

How he came to Cowboys: The Cowboys initially signed Cooper in January 2017 for offensive-line depth ahead of their playoff game vs. Green Bay. They signed him again to a 1-year, $2 million contract for the 2017 season. Cooper's a former first-round pick (Arizona, seventh overall pick in 2013) who's played 42 games and 27 starts for the Cardinals, Browns and Cowboys.

2017 stats: Cooper's stats are harder to track as an offensive lineman. But he did get nods from Pro Football Focus for allowing zero pressures in both Weeks 7 and 8 vs. the 49ers and Redskins. And he was consistently available with 12 straight starts.

Position-group outlook: Cooper won the left-guard job over Chaz Green in October. He had battled Green in training camp, with Green starting the first three season games. But after injuries limited Green against the Rams, Cooper started and never relinquished the spot. Green's performance against Atlanta, filling in for LT Tyron Smith, didn't make a case for him regaining a starting role.

Cooper started each of the last 12 games for the Cowboys though he went down with a leg injury in the finale vs. the Eagles, but it doesn't appear to be a long-term injury.

Position-group outlook: Lawrence has emerged as a talented, threatening pass rusher for Dallas who's not only racked up 14.5 sacks and a host more pressures himself but also freed up his D-line teammates to further pressures. He worked well with defensive tackle David Irving --a restricted free agent this offseason -- before Irving missed December with a concussion. And Lawrence said he mentored rookie Taco Charlton, who finished the season with three sacks and seven QBH. The Cowboys will likely use their franchise tag on Lawrence to keep him on lock in 2018 while waiting to see if his good health (two back surgeries the last two offseasons, missed practices for his back in December) and off-field behavior (he served a four-game suspension for substance abuse in 2016) will hold up. But, as his sack celebration this year suggested, he's likely to soon make bank.

LB Anthony Hitchens

Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer

Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Anthony Hitchens (59) forces New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa (26) to fumble during the first half of play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, December 10, 2017.(Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)

Position-group outlook: The Cowboys feared the worst when Hitchens went down in the preseason, but the LB rebounded quickly from a tibial plateau fracture to return vs. Green Bay on Oct. 8. He excelled, notching double-digit tackles three times in 12 games while plugging the holes in Sean Lee's absence. Hitchens joined Lee and Damien Wilson as starting linebackers though Jaylon Smith rotated in frequently with all the injuries. Will the Cowboys keep Hitchens as insurance given Lee's injury history?

Position-group outlook: Ladouceur is the Cowboys' only long snapper. He's filled the role, and excelled at it, for 13 seasons.

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DE Datone Jones: The Cowboys signed Jones on Nov. 26 when they cut kicker Mike Nugent and running back Darren McFadden. Jones, a 2013 first-round pick, was inactive against the Redskins four days later but played at least 20 snaps in Dallas' four games in December. He increased his time with the line each game. Jones finished 2017 with nine tackles as a Cowboy (six solo), 1.5 stuffs and a pass deflection. He also sacked Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the Cowboys' season finale.

DE Benson Mayowa: The Cowboys released Mayowa on March 7, freeing up $2.75 million in salary-cap space. The 26 year old out of Idaho recorded six sacks, a forced fumble and 15 tackles in 2016 but just one sack and 13 tackles in 2017. The Jets, Redskins, Seahawks and Colts all arranged visits for Mayowa before the free-agency period opened, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

CB Bene Benwikere: The Cowboys traded with the Bengals for Benwikere for a 2019 conditional sixth-round pick on Sept. 2. He was active for limited snaps across 12 games in 2017, recording two tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection.

OT Byron Bell: The Cowboys signed the veteran offensive lineman to a one-year deal in March. He was active 12 games in 2017, starting two -- both against the Eagles -- when All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith was out with injuries. Smith was moved to IR ahead of the season finale. Bell was called for three holding calls and allowed five sacks in five games.

Restricted FAs in 2018

FB Keith Smith: The Cowboys did not tender fullback Keith Smith, though they hoped to sign him to a multi-year deal at a lower rate. So Smith became an unrestricted free agent, and Oakland signed him to a two-year, $4.2 million deal. Smith and teammates said their farewells.